On Digital Music Files

Press attention has recently focused on the impact campus networks have
felt from traffic in digital music files ("MP3" files). These
files allow the user to play music through a computer's speakers or even
with handheld players like the familiar Walkman. Many such files are transmitted
over the Internet, but they raise problems: (1) sharing copies of copyrighted
music (and all commercially available music is protected by copyright) is
illegal and (2) the size of the files and the popularity of the format has
caused serious problems at many institutions, where network bandwidth has
not been sufficient to support the traffic. Much discussion has focused
on software called "Napster", but there are already numerous look-alike
programs with different names but similar function. At Penn, we are monitoring
the impact on network traffic closely and working with campus organizations
to promote awareness of safe and legal computing strategies. The following
considerations should be kept in mind.

Napster and similar services work by making your machine a network
server for other people's benefit. This certainly reduces the network bandwidth
available to you to use, most likely slows down the performance of your
computer, and it opens a potentially disastrous security hole in your machine.
Once you let people from all over the world have access to some of your
files, they are then in a position to have damaging access to the whole
of your machine. In general, you should exercise caution installing new,
untested software on your computer which might open up security vulnerabilities
without your knowledge. If you plan to use Napster for legal purposes,
be sure to use the latest version which allows you to prevent your files
from being served on the network. Earlier versions do not give you that
option.

If you copy and share or receive copies of commercial music files,
you are very likely breaking the law by violating the US Copyright Act.
Law enforcement authorities and the recording industry are very aware of
this and pursue violators aggressively. If you are taken to court, you
have placed yourself in a very vulnerable position and it will be up to
you and your attorneys to defend your actions in court.

Some colleges and universities have blocked access to certain services
because traffic in audio files was seriously constricting and even blocking
network service for the whole community. We have not yet seen impact of
that sort at Penn, but we will continue to monitor the network closely
to make sure it doesn't happen. As always, Penn reserves the right to take
appropriate steps to assure the integrity and functionality of the network
in support of Penn's academic mission. If we determine that MP3 use of
the network compromises other people's ability to use the network effectively,
individual users may be asked to discontinue use of these services.